Oxford United boss Darren Patterson has told his players to forget the FA Cup - because Saturday's league game at bottom club Northwich is more important.

It is the U's last league game before Christmas, and Patterson is urging his side to continue their fine form, without thinking of the FA Cup replay at Roots Hall.

"We feel this is a bigger game than last Saturday, and Tuesday," Patterson said. "Tuesday will take care of itself.

"We need to start clawing our way back up the league. That's not to put undue pressure on the lads, we know what we've got to do, we'll build on what we've done so far in the last four games and we'll take that on.

"We don't put undue pressure on them, we just focus on what we have to do individually and as a unit and as a team. And we believe, if we do that, we've got a chance of beating anybody in this league."

Patterson has looked at different options for his problem midfield area today, with both Carl Pettefer and Phil Trainer suspended, but he was keeping his cards close to his chest.

"We've got a couple of ideas, and we'll see how it pans out," he said.

"We've gone like for like when people have gone out of the team - last week we put Phil Trainer central and had Gary Twigg, who's left-footed, on the left of midfield.

"We'll weigh up the options and see what's best."

Michael Corcoran, a player who is comfortable on the ball, could come into midfield or the U's could use Eddie Anaclet there with Joel Ledgister coming in on the wing.

Youngsters David Malloy and Aaron Posey have been added to the squad.

The central midfield dilemma is especially frustrating for the U's boss, because it appeared other departments were just starting to become more settled.

"It's sod's law," he added.

"It just seems that when one area gets sorted and you think everything's OK and have got plenty of balance and cover, then something like this happens.

"Midfield is the one area where you really don't want anything to happen."

But United go into the game on the back of three successive clean sheets, clear evidence that they have become more solid and harder to beat.

And Patterson said it was deliberate policy to concentrate on getting that part of the team right first.

"We've not scored goals regularly for two seasons," he said. "We don't have prolific goalscorers here.

"It's not as if we're going to win the game 5-4, so we've changed it.

"We've become very solid and I've got to compliment the front two that we've brought in for their workrate, they've really helped the team and the ethic throughout the side."

In addition to the three suspended - Rob Duffy is completing his three-game ban - Chris Willmott, Paddy Collins and Danny Rose all didn't travel due to injury.

Northwich Vic: (probable) Tynan, Rusk, Kerr, Strong, Battersby, Williams, Carr, Wilson, Horrocks, Akins, Steele. Subs from: Farquharson, Welch, Morning, Maylett, Connett.

Oxford Utd: (from) Turley, Clarke, Quinn, Foster, Jeannin, Anaclet, Hutchinson, Twigg, Odubade, Barnes, Green, Ledgister, Corcoran, Day, Warrell, Fisher, Malloy, Posey.